Typical robotic surgical systems are very expensive. To make the investment more attractive to hospitals and surgical centers, it is desirable to make the robotic surgical system mobile so that it can be moved from room to room such that it is more efficiently used. To effectively move a mobile robotic surgical system, a steering system may be required.
One type of steering system that may be used is an Ackerman steering system that is commonly found in cars and trucks. However, the typical Ackerman steering linkage works appropriately when the turning radius is quite large. The typical Ackerman steering linkage does not work well in vehicles with a small turning radius where high mobility is desirable.
It is desirable to provide a steering system for heavy medical equipment, such as may be found in a robotic surgical system, that operates with a small turning radius to provide a highly mobile medical equipment system.